GROUP A. FRAGMENT I.
§ 1. GENERAL PROLOGUE.
HENGWRT MS.
Here bygynneth the Book of the tales of Caunterbury.
WHan that Auerylle with his shoures soote [folio 2a]
The droghte of March / hath perced to the roote
And bathed euery veyne in swich lycour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour
Line 4
Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
Inspired hath in euery holt and heeth
The tendre croppes / and the yonge sonne
Hath in the Ram / his half cours yronne
Line 8
And smale foweles / maken melodye
That slepen al the nyght with open Iye
So priketh hem nature / in hir corages
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrymages
Line 12
And Palmeres for to seeken straunge strondes
To ferne halwes / kouthe in sondry londes
And specially / from euery shyres ende
Of Engelond / to Caunterbury they wende
Line 16
The holy blisful martir / for to seke
That hem hath holpen whan þat they weere seeke
Bifel þat in that sesoun on a day
In Southwerk at the Tabard / as .I. lay
Line 20
Redy to weenden / on my pilgrymage
To Caunterbury / with ful deuout corage
At nyght was come / in to that hostelrye
Wel .xxix. in a compaignye
Line 24
Of sondry folk / by auenture yfalle
In felaweshipe / and pilgrymes weere they alle
That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde
